Bank-check.



l. G. WALL.

BANK CHECK.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 2. i914.

l 170,860. Patented Feb. 8, 1916.

gf i i i W No. NEWYORK, 191 5 NATIONAL BANK //hv PAYTo THE l ORDER or /f/f'A/f 4/ 1'@ gi, 7'5" DOLLARS DQLLARS I JUDSON G. WALL, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

`BANILCHECK.

To all' whom 'it 'may concern.: Y Y

-Be'it known that L Jinsox (r. Ann, a citizen of the United States.- and resident of the borough of Brooklyn, county of 1ings,

city and State. of New York,- have invented certain new and useful','Improvements in .Bank-Checks. of which the. following is a llo Specification. (luc-of the import-ant objects of this mtcution is to provide bank checks, drafts and other negotiable and non-negotiable errdences of debt., with a series of figureaandl symbols arranged in tabular formV vand adapted to be punched out-or otherwise destroyed to indi -ate that the value represented bj-,f the iustrmnentdoes not exceed the amount. indicated oy the. punched-out or destroyed figures'.

Another object" ol" the. inrention is to proride a series of ligurein tabular form which mail! be arranged at'anyvconrenient place on -the face of the check or other in- Strunent to be conveniently vpunchedvut Ol destroyed by an ordinary hand punclnor other simple dexi-ice," whercb; it may be simply4 and 'plainly indicated t'liat the instrun'icnt does :not .exceed a certain value.

' .ln the.l drawing..Figui-afl lis aface view of a check \\'itlxce if.tainofthe tabular figures: punched outto indicatethatzthecheck docs not exceed a certain \'alue; .l"ig. i a detail View ot the tabu-lar arrangement of the tig` urcrs` certain .ofthe figures beingl punched out to indicate thatthe check docs not reed in "value .twenty-nine hundred dollars; and Fig. 'a 'similar View. lthc figures being punched out to indicate that the check does not exceed a value of two 'hundred dollars; and Fig. l a -siuiilar View. the figures and. marginal symbols being punched and cut out to indicate that thc check does: not exceed theraluc of one hundred dollars.

llefcrrii'lg to Fig. l. the main body' of the check. indicated by is in the u5ual-foruiand is adapted to contain' the name ofthe payee, the amount of the check written in numerals and in words. and the signature ot' the rlrawercn' maker. vAt. an;1 suitable and convenient place ou the check l arrange a double colun'm of figures as indicated at B, ten igures being arranged consecutirely in each column and running from i to 9. with a cipher at the. bottom of cach column. These figures are arranged preferably in 'circles and the circles in one column are arranged With respect to those in the other column so Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 8, 1916.

. Applica-tion llled September 2, 1914. Serial No. 859,733.

that the center of the circles of one column will be directly opposite the space .or line between the circles of the other column. This double column of figures is preferably arranged parallel and close to one edge of the check. As shown in the drawing` it is arranged close to the llower edge of the check. In the narrow 'space between the .double column of ligar-es and the edge of the check'are arranged a series of stars or other symbols, the. said stars beingdirectly opp0- site the centers of t-he circles so that there will be twently stars alongthe .edge of the check directly in l'iue with the centers of the twenty circles in the double column. At the top ot' the double column is arranged a. Space in which there is a circle D contain- Around the-circle D are ing two ciphcrs. arranged nine tigures,-fron1 l to `9 `ar-. ranged in consccutive'order. In the narrow Space l) containing the twenty stars or symbols F and directl)I opposite the cente-r of the circle Dis a Star or vsymbol G. Adjacent the space C at the top of the column the worda Not over appear. 'Ihesefwordsaie preferably within the linea H which-"inc lose the double.- colmnn of ligt 'es.` At the bottoni of the series ot' figures va'rpacel which contains three ciphers and .the -word Dol-lars In the marginal spa-:re E 0pposite'-the Dol-'g lare` space l a `tt-ar JI Around the edges of the check. vclose to the margin. thereof, is' placed a margin bnc l.' This hue is pref-l erably. hea\' and distinct, anchof coura may be of a special color.-if desired. i

As shown in Fig. l the check is made out for t'\\'entynine thousand dollars. In order to indicate by means. of the S:\fety .featl1i'e of the check that it not for more than tu'entrhine thousand dollars the numeral l in the` left-hand column of figures :is

.punched out-and thostar in the marginal Space. IG corresponding to the said numeral is also punched or cut out, thereby mak-v ing a notch of considerable sizein the edge 'lhc numeral. 9 of the righthand column of figures isfalso-punchedout ol the check.

and ite corresponding star in the marginal space. is punched or cut out to forni-another notch in the edge of the check.- Thusv punched the safety feat-uregindicates that the check is for a value which does not exceed twenty-nine thousand dollars. The three clphers in the space at the bottom of the column remaining unpunched indicate that the check is for one or more lthousands of dolsoV ytremely diliicuylt to patch such a eut.

lars. When the numerals in the space at the top of the double column remain unpunched, and the ciphers in the circle D are punched or cut out, the check is for a thousand dollars or ay multiple of a thousand. As illus,- trated in Fig. l the ciphers in the circle D are punched out, showing that the check is for an even. thousand dollars, and thereby preventing the addition of hundreds of dollars to the check. It is to be noted that the notches in the edge of the check break the marginal line K, thereby making itnecessary for a person raising the check to not only fill the notches, but to continuethe marginal line across the filled-in portion. By providing the marginal line around the four sides of the check, the said line can not be cut off Without materially altering the size and appearance of the check, thereby rendering detection easy. The purpose of cutting out the marginal edge of the check is that it is ex- It is well known that persons skilled in altering checks sometimes fill or plug the holes in checks with paper pulp or similar material and that such plugging or filling is extremely diiiicult to detect. It is obviously very difficult, ifnot impossible, to successfully patch a notch in the edge of a check, for the reason that the filling or inserted `material in the notch has an uiiattached or unsupported margin.

In Fig. 2 the punching indicates that the check does not exceed in value twenty-nine hundred dollars. It will be noted that the cip-her in the left-hand column is punched,i

indicating that no values are to be shown in tlidcolumn, and that the check is for an amount less than ten thousand dollars. The numeral 2 of the right-hand columnv is punched and the corresponding staror s mbol in the marginal space is also punchec or cut out; and in the space 'at the top of the column the numeral 9 is punched out.

In Fig. 3 the punching indicates that the check does not exceed two hundred dollars in value. In this punchingthe cipheijs of both columns are punched indicating that no values show in said columns. The space at the bottom of the columns containing the word Dollars and the three cipliers is punched, and likewise the star 'in the marginal space E is cut out, indicating that the check is not of the value of one thousand dollars. In the space at the head of the column the numeral 2 is punched, thus indicating that the value of the check does not exceed two hundred dollars.

In Fig. the punching and cutting indilcates that the check does not exceed one himdred dollars in value. In this View the cipher-s at the bottom of the double column are punched out, and their corresponding marginal symbols are cut out. The dollars space at the bottom of the column, 1s

punched and the marginal symbol therefore is notched out. This punching and cutting indicates that the check is for less than one thousand dollars. The numeral l on the space at the top of the column is punched out and the corresponding marginal symbol for this spacel is also notched out. This indicates that the check is for an amount less than one hundred'dollar's.

It is manifest that after the checks ai'e cut and punched the numerals designating amounts above the value of the cheek may be destroyed by marking in any suitable manner; for instance, such numbers may be marked with a suitable ink-destroying acid, or acid-proof ink might be used for that purpose. This method of destroying the numbers above the amount of the check is illustrated in Fig. 1. Y

The notches in the edges of the check may be made by a suitable punch or by ,an ordinary pair of scissors, or in any other suitable manner.

With the arrangement of numerals shown checks running' from one hundred dollars to ninety-nine thousand dollalrs may be etliciently protected against any material increase in the amount ofA the check. It .is thought that the arrangement of numerals shown will be sufficient for ordinary chmmei-cial purposes, but,.of course, if it `be desired a third column oftigures might be employed, and other changes might be made in the disposition and arrangement of the numerals to Vary and expand the use of the system.

It is also manifest that while I have shown the protective device applied to ordinary bank checks it is capable of application to all negotiable and non-negotiable securities and evidences of debt. It may he applied to promissory notes, to tock certificates and the like.l

The greatadvantage of a protective system of this character is that the punching may be made with a simple hand punch and at the saine time the drawer of the check will be amply protected against loss by unlawful manipulation or raising of the value of the check.

Another great advantage of a check protective system of this character, is that it will not be necessary to use expensive protective paper for checks. It is well known that most checks are now printed on paper that is expensive to manufacture, but with this protective sySteIIi, ordinary paper and medium-priced safety paper, will give ainple protection against unlawful raising of the checks.

l'Vhat l claim is: p

l. A check, draft oi' other Similar evidence of value having imprinted upon it a series of figures in two parallel adjacent columns said figures ruiming consecutively from one t0 nine witha cipher in each column, one, column of said figures indicating thousands and the other tens of thousands. these figures being adapted to be canceled to indicate that the number of' thousands or tens of thousands in the face value of"the check do vnot exceed the sum indicated lo' the canceled numerals. a symbol at the bottom ofsaid columns and comlnon to both which when canceled destroys the indicative value of the two columns of' figures, another series of figures at the top of' the eoluums runningr from one to nine inclusive any one of' which when canceled indicates that the hundreds of dollars in the face value of the check d'o not exceed the sum indicated the canceled numeral, and a symbol associated withsaid last series of' figures which when canceled destroys the indicative value of said series of' figures.

L). check. draft or other similar evidence of value. having imprinted upon it a series of figures in two parallel adjacent columns` arranged near to and parallel with one edge of the check said figures running consecutively from one to nine with a cipher in each column, one colunm of said figures 4indicating.thousands and the other tens of thousands. these figures being adapted to he canceled to indicate that. the number of thousands or tens of thousands in the face value of' the check do not exceed the sum indicated by the canceled numerals. a symbol at the .bottom ofl said columns and common to both which when canceled destroys the indicative value of the two columns of figures` another series of' figures at the top of' the columnsl running from one to nine inclusive any one ofl which when canceled indicates that the hundreds of dollars in the face value 'of the. check do not exceed the sum indicated by the canceled numeral. and a symbol associated with said last series of figures which when canceled destroys the indicative value of said series of figures. and a series of guide symbols arranged between said columns and the adjoining edge of the check and arranged respm-tively in liuc with the. figures in the column, said symbols and the edge of the check heilig adapted to be punched out to correspond with the can`- celed numerals.

not

over safety device, consisting of a pair of adjacent columns of figures running from one to nine and including a cipher, one of these columns representing thousands and the other tens of thousands, and a series of figures running from one to nine representing hundreds, this series of figures being arranged at one end of Said column in a circular series, thereby inclosing a space which when punched or otherwise'canceled will destroy the indicative value of a'll this latter series of figures.

4. A bank check lnfovide-dl with'a not over safety device. consistingr of a .pair of adjacent columns of figures running from one to nine and including a cipher, one of these columns representing thousands and the other tens of thousands, and a series of figures running from one to nine representing hundreds, this series of vfigures being arranged at one end of said column -in a circular series, thereby inclosingr a. space which when punched or otherwise canceled will destroy the indicative value 0f all this latter series of figures, said columns being arranged parallel to each other and near to and parallel with one edge of the check, the figures in one. column being staggered with reference to the figures in the other column, whereby the margin of the check may be notched opposite each one of the twenty figures.

f. A bank check provided with a not over safetydevice, consisting of a group of gures from one to nine which when canceled imlicate hundreds, a pair of parallel columns of' figures runningr from one to nine including a cipher` the figures in one column 

